This page is a useful guide to the EHCP review and reassessment process, and what it means for children, young people and their parents, carers or guardians.
Reviewing an EHCP
EHCPs must be reviewed annually at a meeting where you, your child and the professionals who work with them discuss the year and plan for the future.
At transition times, for example, when your child is about to change school, it’s important to invite additional people to these meetings. This could include, for example, the SENCo from their next school.
This review will be completed using Devon’s EHC Hub : Guidance for parents: using the EHC Hub for an EHCP review
Please see our guidance for registering to use Devon’s EHC Hub.
What is the purpose of an EHCP review?
A review will help bring together the views of you, your child and those involved in helping them. We will consider:
- your child’s progression towards the outcomes in their EHCP
- if any changes need to be made to the EHCP and in some cases if it is still required
At an EHCP review, there are several recommendations that might be made after discussions. These could include:
- continuing with the EHCP
- continuing with the EHCP with some amendments to meet current needs
- ceasing to maintain the EHCP – if those present at the review meeting feel that an EHCP is no longer needed and the outcomes have been met, it can be ceased
Recommendations made at the annual review will be sent to us and we will make a decision on the outcome. We will then notify you and your child of the decision within four weeks of the review meeting.
The decision will be sent using Devon’s EHC Hub Guidance for parents: using the EHC Hub for an EHCP review
If we are considering changing the EHCP, we will send a draft copy with changes to you and your child and you will have 15 days in which to register any comments. If after this, we decide not to make changes to the EHCP then we have eight weeks to inform the people concerned.
How often will an EHCP be reviewed?
We must review an EHCP at least once within every 12-month period. The school, college or other provider usually arranges and leads the annual review meeting. The first review meeting should take place ten months after we send out the first EHCP.
A review may take place sooner than 12 months if:
- your child is transferring to a new school or college
- there has been a significant change in their health, care or educational needs which affects the support they require
What is a ‘significant change’?
As your child grows and develops, we would expect small changes which affect how the school supports them. However, if there are changes that affect their education, we may need to amend their EHCP. The changes include:
- health needs
- social care needs
- the educational progression of your child
- the support no longer being suitable
- the support no longer being required
If you think there has been a significant change, please talk to your school or education provider about having a review.
Watch the video below to find out more about EHCP reviews.
If you don’t agree with a decision made at a review meeting you can take a look at our page about disagreeing with a decision or contact DiAS for free, impartial advice and support.
Re-assessment of an EHCP
Sometimes it may be necessary to reassess an EHCP. This may happen if the provision which was agreed in the EHCP is no longer available or appropriate.
We must consider a re-assessment of your child’s EHCP when we are asked to do so by the responsible commissioning body and we have 15 days to tell you and your child whether re-assessment is necessary.
You may disagree with this decision and if so you can find more information about what to do on our page about disagreeing with a decision.